The present invention relates to a door assembly, and more particularly to a door guard that permits the opening of a door beyond the normally widest open position allowed by a door closer and slows the rate of movement of the door so as to prevent damage of the door assembly.
Storm doors and other types of swingable doors mounted in doorways may at times be blown open by a strong gust of wind. When this occurs, it is desirable to have a device that will prevent the door and its assembly from being damaged. To solve this problem the prior art has provided devices such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,833 issued to Schaldenbrand on Feb. 20, 1968. There, a detent pocket formed in an elongated link receives a crossbar mounted on a door. This enables the door to be held open in various selected positions. These types of devices, however, cause a nearly instantaneous stopping of the door, and consequently, glass mounted in the door may shatter, or the device may be ripped from its hinges causing damage to its mounting.
It is apparent, therefore, that a device is needed to slow down or decelerate the opening of a door so as to prevent such damage. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,119,589 issued to Lutz on June 7, 1938. Lutz discloses a bellows connected to a series of links that extends between a door and its frame. Another device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,056,876 issued to Williams on Oct. 6, 1936. Williams uses a mechanism having adjustable brake shoes and linings which engage a facing strip to resist the movement of a door. Other mechanisms have used piston-cylinder arrangements such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,878 issued to Flint et al on Apr. 23, 1968, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,064,995 and 2,044,865. Still another approach has been to use a spring mechanism such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,986,742 and 1,916,882. None of these arrangements are entirely satisfactory, however, and the present arrangement has been developed to provide an improved means which permits the opening of a door beyond the normally widest open position allowed by a door closer at a relatively slow rate to prevent damage to the door and its surrounding assembly.